I was out trail running tonight. On the way up I passed a wild-eyed guy singing LOUD to himself. On the way down I passed him again. As he saw me approaching he said something to the effect of "I'm hungry for dodder", and suddenly reached down, pulled up a hand full, stuffed his mouth, and began chewing. He proceeded to explain it's really nutritious, good for the eyes, and considered good for "virility" in Chinese medicine. We chatted and I went my way.

Now I'm familiar with dodder- as a parasite, not as something you can eat. I would've stuffed a fistfull on the trail with him...were it not for the wild look on his face....

What gives?
Can you eat this stuff? Or is it just the guy with the crazy eyes?
I can't find much info on it as an edible.

I know that some people use it to make medicine and such but not by itself--usually with the plant that hosts it. I'm fairly certain that it won't harm you or have any adverse effects other than being a bit laxative. It probably doesn't have much nutritional value either.

I have seen that stuff over the years--I though it was called Witches Hair? There is alot of that stuff on the Nor Cal coast line.

Yeah, all I can find in online searches at the moment is info about how it's used as medicine...but not for food.
This is the best I've found so far:
http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_dodder.htm

Used to help purge "black bile" in the middle ages, huh?
Wonder if I've got any black bile...

Yeah, Jay...Witches Hair, Devil's Guts, Devil Hair, Angel Hair...

Edited by xnomanx on 12/14/2009 21:27:56 MST.

I have been thumbing threw (Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants) and I can not find it..If that guy was crazy maybe its like Paoti..